Wednesday, July 11, 2012

In a vote of 244 to 185, the House of Representatives has repealed the Affordable Care Act — just days after the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality.

This is the 31st attempt by Congressional Republicans to eliminate the measure. The GOP has spent an estimated “88 hours and 53 minutes” since January of 2011 trying to undo the reform, an analysis by Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) office finds, though this latest bill is expected to die in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Prior to Wednesday’s repeal vote, Democrats introduced an amendment that would have forced members of Congress to forego the same protections that Republicans are seeking to eliminate for their constituents, including gender-based premium rating, prohibiting insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, and allowing young people to remain on their parents’ health plans until age 26. The amendment failed along party lines, as the GOP prevailed, ignoring the consequences of repeal: